Nail-assorting apparatus.



NAILASSURTING APPARATUS.

(Application led June 16, 1898.)

l (No Model.)

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UNITED I STATES" PATENT OFFICE.'

ALvIN D. ELLIOTT, OE LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSICNOR, EY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY,` A CORPO- RATION OFA NEW JERSEY.-

NAIL-lAssoRTlrNoAPPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N o. |707,140, dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed June 15, 1898. Serial No. 683,486. (No model.) y

like characters on the drawings representingr like parts.`

1o This invention has for its object the production of a novelY apparatus for assorting nails for use in nailing-machines.

The nailing-machines may be used for nail-A ing heels and other purposes; and the invention hereinl to Abe described is an 4improvement on the class ofV apparatus represented in United States Patent No. 577,213, dated February 16, 1897'.` l In this present invention I have illustrated 2o a circularly-movable nail-controller or device having a series of grooves, one for each nailguiding groove of the raceway. The nailg controller is shown as having a sliding gate extended from end to end thereof, said gate being represented as notched at its edge next the said grooves, the unnot-ched parts of said gate normally standing across the said grooves'. The nails onltheir arrival at the bottom of the raceway are taken therefrom l 3o indiscriminately as'to their heads and points by a device which, as herein represented, lifts the said series of nailsgzasfprovided for in said patent, said nails sliding from the said.

device or lifter into grooves of a raceway-terminal, and from said terminal the series of nails having their heads leading drop and enter the grooves of the' nail-controller, while those nails stopped on'the terminall point iirst cross and span the grooves and Contact 4o at their points with the edge of thegate, itV

occupying. a position in accordance with the length of the nails being sorted. The nails leavingthe raceway-terminal point first meet, preferably, the unnotched part of the edge of said gate and are arrested thereby, and to Y discharge those nails into the grooves of the nail-controller head first I move the gate au'- tomatically longitudinally until its notched parts come in line with the points ofthe nails, 5o and immediately thereafter said nails slide on -the terminal vand their points 'enteringl the notchescause the heads of the-nails previously sustained by theracewayterminal to drop'y therefrom headerst into the said V grooves, the said heads dropping freely, owin g 5 5 to the fact that .the'points are temporarily arrested, and as,V the heads get well into the grooves thepoints slide olf from the device which arrested them, as stated.

I believe that I am the first to use in a mai chine for assorting nails presented with their headsand points arranged indiscriminately a device whichcan be actuated to deliver a series of nailseither head first or pointrst, as desired. 65 It will be noticed. that my nail-controller lmaybe moved when desired-to dischargethe nails either head or pointflrstv intol pockets arranged in positionto receive the nails'coming fromV the nail-controller in either direc- 7o tion of its movement.

Figure l, in side el r`va'tion, represents a sufficient portionof anail-assorting apparatus which, taken in connection with thepatent referred to, willenble this'invention to be` 75 Y understood. Fig. 2 is a partial front or lefthand elevation Ofthe'apparatus shown'in Fig. l. Fig.3 is a partial section in the linea, Fig. 2. FigflE is a detail showing the nailcontroller in cross-section, the gatev having been slidto put a notch thereof in line with the point of a nail, the ,nail-controllerjhaving been moved to let1 the nail drop into the I I grooves of the controller. Fig. 5 is a detail tolbereferred to.

The raceway c? ,the lifter j", connected with a rod f', acted upon by a cam f2, the terminallt', made adjustable bya suitable screw hx', the continuously-rotating shaft e, (partially shown,) it having attached to it'p'art of 9o a clutch eX, which coperates with a second clutch part c' on a shafts?, the latter shaft carrying the cam f2, are and may be all substan-V tially as represented in the saidpatent;

Onepart of theinventionvherein to be described and claimed relates `more especially to the nail-controller and means for operating it, whereby the nails therein may be discharged therefrom either end first.

Another part ofthe invention relatesto a loo movable gate coperating with a nailcontroller to act as a stop, whereby by a relative movement between said controller and the gate the nails coming to the nail-controller point irst are temporarily arrested, while the nails coming to it head first enter immediately the grooves therein, and thereafter said arrested point-rst nails are made to enter the grooves of the nail-controller head lirst.

The controller A is represented as cylindrical in shape, it having end bearings in suitable stands erected on the framework A2, the controller being provided with a series of nail-receiving grooves tt. The controller has applied to it a sliding gate a', represented as a bar having a series of notches 01,2, the unnotched parts of the edge of said bar normally standing across the upper ends of said grooves, as represented in Fig. 2. The gate ct has, as shown, a stud a2 extended from it into a suitable slot in the controller, a spring l) in said controller acting upon the said stud to normally keep the gate in the position shown in Fig. 2; but this gate may be reciprocated in the direction of the arrow thereon whenever desired by or through the Inovement of the slide-rod b', as will be described. The nail-controller cooperates with pockets C2, and it is so located with relation to said pockets that the nails in the grooves of the controller may be discharged therefrom into the pockets. Each pocket herein shown is represented as having two feeding-mouths O and C', they being separated by a wall B2, which at its upper end substantially contacts with the controller, said wall acting chieiiy to prevent any undue springing of the controller and also overturning of short nails. The pockets C2 are made in series side by side, one for each groove of the controller, and the lower ends of the pockets have connected to them a series of tubes c3 of any usual or suitable nature, each tube receiving a nail and directing it to a nail-receiving hole in a nailblock or other nail-receiver to receive the nails. One of the journals of the controller has secured to it by a suitable adjustingscrew c a gear D, which is engaged by a toothed sector D, connected with a lever D2, mounted upon a stud D2, the other end of said lever having a roller or other stud c', which enters the groove c2 of a cam-hub D4. The framework A2 has a depending hanger E, upon which is pivoted at E a bar E2, provided with a pin E3. lVhenever this bar E2 is lifted, the pin E3 strikes the beveled lower end of a lever E4 and turns said lever so that it, suitably connected with the slide-rod b', actuates said slide-rod to move the slide-bar in the direction of the arrow on it, and at the same time a pin fx, carried by said bar E2, meets an arm fx and raises it out of engagement with a st-11dfX2, attached to a collar f3, adjustably secured by a set-screw 2 (see Fig. 2) to the shaft c2. The rising of the arm fx' frees the said stud, so that a suitable spring, as f4, in said shaft e2 and abutting against a fixed abutment f5, shown as a screw, causes the shaft e2 to be moved in the direction of the arrow 3, Fig. 1, to engage the friction-clutch part e with the friction-clutch part eX, the latter thereby taking up and rotating the shaft e2 for one rotation, at the end of which time the stud fx2 has again by its contact with the arrnfx, which has been permitted to descend, drawn the shaft e2 in the direction opposite said arrow 8 to open the clutch referred to and stop the further rotation of the shaft e2.

In the operation of the machine let it be assumed that the raceway cX has on it a series of nails fn, with a nail in each groove of the raceway, the said nails being arranged indiscriminately heads and points rst. The drawings show the lifterfas elevated, that being the position in which the lifter stands when the shaft e2 is at rest. When the lifter is started from its lowest position into the position shown in the drawings, it lifts a series of nails then in its grooves, and the said nails (marked n in Fig. 3) slide therefrom into the grooves of the terminal h', continuing their movement to the controller, and the heads of all those nails which are head first as soonas they arrive at or near the unnotched part of the gate tip by gravity into the grooves a and the heads rest against the interior of the upper part of the chute-mouth; but those nails which are point first are stopped with their points against the unnotched part of the gate, as in Fig. 3. The terminal h' will be so adjusted on the part of the framework to which it is attached as to adapt it to the varying lengths of nails used, the proper position for the terminal being that at which a nail going head first down the raceway whenit arrives at the edge of the gate will drop 4by gravity from said terminal head first into a groove of the controller. In this condition the rod or bar E2 will be lifted, letting the clutch parts e and eX, referred to, engage, so that the shaft e2 will be started, and with the rising of this bar the gate will be pushed in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, until its notched parts come in line with` the points of the nails, when the latter will immediately slide sufficiently along into the grooves of the ter minal to enter said notches, leaving the points of the nails extended somewhat over a shoulder m (see Fig. 4.) of the controller, and immediately thereafter the cam DL in its rotation will impart to the sector D a slight move` ment in the direction of the arrow thereon, causing the gear D and the controller to be moved in the direction of the arrow on said gear, Fig. l, such movement of the controller enabling the heads of the nails yet supported on the terminal to slide off said terminal and drop into the grooves ct, as represented in Fig. 4, and thereafter the controller is moved in the opposite direction by or through the lever D2 and cam Dl until the lower ends ,of the grooves, they all having nails head first, come in line with the mouth C of the chute, which permits the nails to drop from said IOJ grooves head first, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 3,' each nail entering-'oneof the usual tubes to lead it tothe .point where yit is desiredto deposit it to be driven. I may after the nails have been deposited in the grooves head first deliver them all point rst from the` controller. To effect this, Ihave only to loosen the set-screw 2 and turn the collar f3, having the stud fxz, into a different position on the shaft e2, so that it will stop the shaft e2 when that part of the cam-groove yc2 of the hub D4Which` makes the greatest downthrow of the sector Dl is y opposite the roller-stud `c and to Aloosen the screw c, turning the controller or device Aso that its journal is turned 4in the stationary gear D, thus bringing the gate into position to receive against it the points of the nails, as before described, and then I again tighten the screw c; In. this condition the nails delivered from the terminals head first will drop, as before described, into the grooves and the nails delivered point first will stop with their points against the unnotched part ofthe gate, so

that when the mac'hineso adj usted is started the lever Dzfin engagement with the sector D', fast onthe controller, will turn the latter t in-the direction of the arrow` near it, Figs. l-

and 4, for a distance sufficient to not only let the heads of the nails sustained on the terminalhleave the terminaland drop into a groove of the controller, but the said con#4 troller is further moved, due to the shape of the cam-groove c2, in thev same direction un til all the nails then arranged in the groove of the controller, points in one direction, slide from said' grooves point first into the re` l ceiving-mouth C.

Having described myv invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

ing instrumentalities,viz: a terminal to receive a series of nails `with theiry heads and points arranged in grooves therein indiscriminately, a circularly-movable controller having a series yof grooves=to receive, the nails leaving said terminal head'first, a gate to receive against its edgethe points-ofV the nails leaving the terminal point'first, and means to lactuate said controller to carry said gate ceive a series of nailswitlrtheir'heads andaway. from said terminal to thereby enable the heads of the nails on said terminal to drop therefrom into said grooves head first, substantially as described.

I 2. In a nail-asserting apparatus, the followlng instrumentalities,fviz: a terminal to re-l points arranged indiscriminately, a controller having a series of grooves into which the nails lea-ving the terminal head first enter by gravity, a notched gate carriedy by said con-y troller Vand standing normally with the unnotched edgeof the gate crossing said grooves to receive against it thepoints of the nails leaving the terminal point first, and means to move said gateto place its notchesin poscribed.

1. Ina nail-assorting apparatus, the follow-v sition to be entered by.,thepointsof the nails,

substantially as described. 3. In a nail-asserting apparatus, the following instrumentalities, viz: a terminal tofreceive a series of nails withfthe'ir heads and 2 points arranged indiscriminately, a controller having a series of grooves into' which the nails leaving the terminal head first enter by` gravity, a notched gate carried by said cony,

troller and standing normally withthe'uny notched edge of: the gate crossing said grooves to receive against it thepoints of -thenails` '80 leaving the terminal point first, means .to move said gate to place its notches in,y position tobe entered bythe points ofthe nails, l means to impart acircular movement to said controller, andra chute to Ireceive the nails from said `controller,y substantially as de-v scribed.

4. In a nail-assorting apparatus,the following -instrumentalities, viz: a` circularly-movable controller having grooves to receive a series of nails head first, a chute-mouthl having two sets of` nail-receiving passages, and actuating means toniove said controller, said means containing provisions for moving said `controller forwardly or backwardly todis charge said nails therefrom either head firstl orpoint Iirstinto one ori the other of said 4passages kas 5. In va nail-assorting apparatus, a controller having a series of grooves, ainotched gate arranged parallel therewith and crossi ing said grooves, means to impart circular motion to said controller combined ywith means to move said gate longitudinally on'or with relation to said controller to place'th'e'` notches of the gates alternately in line with and then out of'line with relation `to said' grooves, substantially as described.

desired, substantially as `de- 6. Ina nail-assorting mechanism, means to guide and direct a seriesof nailsr with their- Vheads and points arrangedl indiscriminately, a device toreceive said series o f nilsthere-g fromat one operation, andj'means'to actuate Vsaiddevice whereby it maybe made to de- -z liver saidV series of nails eith'erhead first or point first as may be desired. y t 7.` In a nail-assorting machine, meansto re'- ceive and guide nails, a doubleseries of pockets, a nail controller ,orv device-.located between the means to receive andguiderthe nails and the receivingendsof saidv double series ofpockets, land means adapted by change of position to move. said controller either forward or backward, as may be desired rto discharge the nails in "thegrooves ofthe controller-into said pockets head' or 4vpoint first, substantially as described.

8. `In a'nail-a'ssorting machine, a lifting deand points arranged indiscriminately, a

vice, a circularly-movable nailcontroller lo'r bvice to lift a series of nails `having the'irheads I13o `groove'd terminal to receive and-.guide fthe: y nailsdegposited4 thereon from said liftingde- .device having grooves some offwhich receive nails which leave the terminal head first, and means to stop temporarily the nails leaving said terminal point rst, and means to thereafter enable said nails to move somewhat longitudinally in order that their heads may be removed from the said terminals and dropped head first into the unoccupied grooves of said device, a plurality of series of pockets, and means to turn said device in one or the other direction as may be desired to deliver the nails either head or point first into one or the other of said series of pockets, substantially as described.

9. In a nail-asserting mechanism, a nailcontroller, means to present to said controller nails having their heads and points arranged indiscriminately, a series of pockets on said controller, a device to arrest temporarily the points of those nails coming to the controller point first, means to actuate said device and said controller, whereby the pockets therein may be provided with nails With their points in one direction, and means for actuating said controller to deliver all the nails from its pockets either head or point first.

10. In a nail-assorting mechanism, a nailcontroller having a series of nail-receiving grooves, and a guide arranged longitudinally thereof and adapted to arrest the nails coming to said controller point first, means to move said guide to allow the point-first nails to continue their movement, and means to move said controller to enable the arrested point-first nails to drop into the grooves of the controller head first.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the `presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l ALVIN D. ELLOTT.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, EDITH M. STODDARD. 

